The perfectly legal way to influence policy makers is to simply let it be known that if they hold favorable voting positions, they will very likely be rewarded with lucrative jobs. There is no need for a quid pro quo or even explicit promise as long as a clear and consistent norm is established. This is what happened to Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA). From Market Watch:

Talk about victory in defeat: Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor will be pulling in about $3.5 million thanks to his new job with Wall Street investment bank Moelis & Co.

It’s a huge raise for the Virginia Republican, whose salary as majority leader was a lowly $193,400.

Cantor, whose Republican primary loss to little-known Dave Brat stunned Washington, will open an office for Moelis & Co. in the nation’s capital and also work out of its New York City office.

This was about more than just Cantor. Every member of Congress has seen this news and gotten the implied message.

The perfectly legal way to influence policy makers is to simply let it be known that if they hold favorable voting positions, they will very likely be rewarded with lucrative jobs. There is no need for a quid pro quo or even explicit promise as long as a clear and consistent norm is established. This is what happened to Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA). From Market Watch:

Talk about victory in defeat: Former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor will be pulling in about $3.5 million thanks to his new job with Wall Street investment bank Moelis & Co.

It’s a huge raise for the Virginia Republican, whose salary as majority leader was a lowly $193,400.

Cantor, whose Republican primary loss to little-known Dave Brat stunned Washington, will open an office for Moelis & Co. in the nation’s capital and also work out of its New York City office.

This was about more than just Cantor. Every member of Congress has seen this news and gotten the implied message.

Jane Hamsher

Jane is the founder of Firedoglake.com. Her work has also appeared on the Huffington Post, Alternet and The American Prospect. She’s the author of the best selling book Killer Instinct and has produced such films Natural Born Killers and Permanent Midnight. She lives in Washington DC.Subscribe in a reader